Posted: 07.10.08
JANET SHELTON | FC
Aaron Kukla uses a leaf blower to dry off an SUV during a fund–raising car wash June 29 at St. Vincent de Paul Parish.
HOLIDAY | St. Vincent de Paul Parish isn’t the biggest parish in the diocese. It also doesn’t rank among the wealthiest – if one is looking solely at income.
Yet while other parishes struggle to send one or two teens to World Youth Day, this parish sent 17 young adults and two chaperones to Sydney. Through sweat and a giving parish, the parish’s teen pilgrims brought in more than $3,000 each so they could attend the July 15-20 spiritual gathering with Pope Benedict XVI.
St. Vincent de Paul parishioners had their cars washed a couple of Sundays a month. They paid for breakfasts and dinners prepared by the Knights of Columbus and served by World Youth Day pilgrims. They played golf in a tournament that raised about $1,500. They joined their neighbors at a garage sale and bought “shares” in specific pilgrims, a sort of mini-sponsorship program that showed their dedication to supporting the teens.
JANET SHELTON | FC
Jerin Madhavappallil dries the windsheild as Michaela and Harry McCarthy work on the side of an automobile.
Jerin Madhavappallil was among those who washed cars, served food and worked on numerous projects to bring in money.
“During Mass we would wash the windows of the cars (in the parking lot) and they would announce that at church: ‘OK everyone, your windows have been cleaned. If you would like to make a donation … ’”
It took a full two years to raise the money. In that time, the people at the parish got to know the pilgrims a little better. No longer were they simply young faces at Sunday Mass; people learned their names and a little more about their faith, plans and dreams.
The teens also grew closer as they worked together on project after project. Many went from acquaintances to friends.
“I liked the car washes the most, mostly because a lot of us went to them and we bonded a lot,” said Hilary Twombly. “We got to know each other well.”
The teens were still washing cars a couple of weeks before they left, even though they knew by that time that they had enough money.
Pat Powers, president of the parish council, said he never imagined when they issued a broad invitation to World Youth Day that so many teens would respond. The parish is small and most of its parishioners work for modest to mid-range salaries. At the time, it seemed an impossible task to raise enough for so many.
“We were thinking we would have anywhere from 10 to 15 kids, but its hard to say no to kids,” he said. “After the first meeting, myself, Valerie Burns and my wife, Debbie, looked at each other and pretty much said, ‘OK, how we are going to do this?’”
Powers, who traveled with the group, said the new experiences for many of the St. Vincent de Paul World Youth Day pilgrims started with the flight over. Most had never been out of Florida. Now that they are in Sydney, his job is making sure everyone has a fun and faith-filled trip.
“I’m going to make sure they don’t miss out on a thing,” he said. “I just want to make sure the kids have the experience of a lifetime.”
The teens will return to Holiday July 24. Once back, they plan to bring their parish together one last time, for one more WYD dinner.
“We’re going to get together and the whole parish is invited,” Powers said. “We’re just going to describe our experiences (and) say, ‘Thank you.’”
